Japanese express outrage at US bases

A local newspaper said that 21,000 people had taken part in the demonstration in Nago city demanding that President Katsuya Hatoyama oppose the relocation when he meets US President Barack Obama on Friday.

And on Saturday more than 2,000 people staged a protest rally in Kadena, also on Okinawa, which has a US air base.

"The loud noise of the aircraft is unbearable. We will not accept a plan to consolidate the bases, no matter what," Kadena Mayor Tokujitsu Miyagi said.

The United States has about 47,000 troops in Japan under a half-century-old security pact.

Tensions on Okinawa over the huge military presence go back decades, but a furore erupted in 1996 when three US servicemen were convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl.

Adding to the discontent was a 2004 crash of a US helicopter that burst into flames on a university campus, although it caused no injuries on the ground.

Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said that no deal on relocating US troops on Okinawa could be expected during Mr Obama's visit, saying the issue needs more time to be resolved.

He said that "an agreement between the heads of state holds heavy meaning," but could not be expected to be completed during Mr Obama's visit.